Spring loaded gear bolt assembly method

Abstract

Repeated inserting, tightening, loosening, and removing of external threads to internal threads can increase the likelihood of cross threading and thread damage. A spring loaded gear bolt assembly, which promotes alignment of mating threads before applying torque, is described. A spring is disposed on the back end of a bolt shaft to promote alignment of lead mating threads before twisting to engage external to internal threads. A gear chain translates a single hand rotation to thread two bolts into respective affixed internal threaded holes, simultaneously. A spring loaded gear bolt assembly and method described herein promote increased thread life and ease of use ease for test plate securing. Efficient single handed manipulation of multiple bolts simultaneously can be achieved using a test plate assembly, which included spring loaded gear bolt assemblies, as described herein. Applications of a spring loaded gear bolt include infrared adapter test plate assemblies.

1. A method of securing a test plate assembly to an affixed receiving plate, the method comprising:
 aligning at least two through holes in the test plate assembly with pins in the affixed receiving plate; 
 pushing the test plate assembly towards the receiving plate; 
 inserting at least two thread-less bolt leads of at least two bolt shafts, which extend from a back of the test plate assembly, into at least two internal thread sets, respectively, in the affixed receiving plate; 
 gripping a user grip on a front of the test plate assembly; 
 applying a compressive force, which compresses at least two spring loaded gear bolt assemblies and aligns lead threads on the at least two bolts with lead threads on the at least at two internal thread sets of the receiving plate; 
 turning the user grip, which turns the bolt via a gear chain and turns external threads of the at least two bolt shafts into the at least two internal thread sets, respectively, affixed in the receiving plate, and secures the test plate assembly to the affixed receiving plate. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 aligning comprises aligning a notch in a bottom of the test plate assembly with a channel lock extending from the affixed receiving plate. 
 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 aligning at least two through holes in the test plate assembly with pins in the affixed receiving plate and aligning a notch in a bottom of the test plate assembly with a channel lock extending from the affixed receiving plate. 
 
     
     
       4. A method of aligning at least two sets of lead external bolt shaft threads and affixed internal mating threads mounted in a receiving plate, the method comprising:
 contacting the lead external bolt shaft threads to lead affixed internal mating threads, respectively, wherein external bolt shafts are comprised in a spring loaded gear bolt assembly; 
 pressing on a plate, which houses at least two spring loaded gear bolt assemblies, and compressing a spring in an each of the at least two spring loaded gear bolt assemblies; 
 displacing the at least two bolt shafts normal to the receiving plate aligning external bolt shaft threads and affixed internal threads.